This week we will be making cheesecake, Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Old Christina’s place. Post a message if you need directions. If you have access to graham crackers, please let me know. Otherwise we’ll be making the crust with cookies, which don’t work as well.

Immaculee Ilibagiza spent three months holed up in a pastor’s bathroom — bathroom! — with seven other women. Rather than go insane, as I think I certainly would have done, she went deep into meditation and prayer. To the point where, after she resumed “normal” life, she missed the quiet time with God.

I’m heading to the library for a copy of Left to Tell as soon as I get back to the States.

Pastor Dave here,I hope you have been enjoying the new sermon serie as much as I have. I realize some of the stuff is a bit heavy but I hope it is meeting a point of need. As far as the series goes, please feel free to offer feedback so I can tackle any questions you may have the following week. As for upcoming sermons – you can see the list on the current sermon series page and if you have any questions you would like tackled in the future, it gives me assistance in knowing what I need to prepare.

The cost has gone up from 10,000 to 20,000. Classes now run from 11AM to 1PM. And the schedule has changed from 6 weeks to 7 weeks, adding a visit to an orphanage on Day 3 so students can practice their new Korean language skills while giving children a visit.

This Thursday will be a bit different: We’ll be meeting earlier, and we’ll be making Pineapple Upside-Down Cake! Come at 8PM. Please try to let me know if you’re coming so I can plan enough ingredients if we need to make two cakes! If you need directions, call or text me at 010-6870-0185.

The Korean Ministry of Justice announced that as of December 15, 2007, foreigners will have to submit medical and criminal background checks when applying for a visa to become a foreign language teacher in South Korea. The U.S. Embassy cannot provide a background check or fingerprinting service, and we cannot notarize, certify, or verify the authenticity of background checks or diplomas.

As we understand the new requirements, E-2 visa applicants who are U.S. citizens can obtain the necessary criminal background check either by submitting their fingerprints to the FBI or by applying for a local police check where they last resided in the U.S. Procedures for obtaining criminal background checks in the U.S. are explained on our website at http://www.asktheconsul.org/E2ec07.htm. Local police stations in the Republic of Korea are able to take fingerprints that can be sent to the FBI for a background check. U.S. Embassies are, unfortunately, prohibited from taking fingerprints for these purposes.

Regrettably, the Korea Immigration Service (KIS) has placed incorrect information on its website concerning services U.S. embassies can and cannot perform. As of this writing the “New Release: Mandatory Requirements of Criminal Background Check and Health Certificate” on the KIS website contains incorrect information about the length of time it can take to get a criminal records check in the U.S. and also states erroneously that the U.S. Embassy can notarize or certify background checks. We have asked that the incorrect information be removed from the KIS website and we regret any inconvenience or misunderstanding that has resulted from their explanation of our services.